Electrically programmable fuses (or, e-fuses) are conventionally integrated into a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) as a link (or, strip) of conducting material (e.g. metal, poly-silicon, etc.) between a respective anode and cathode access pads. The resistance of the fuse is initially low, and commonly referred to as “closed” in a circuit. When a sufficiently large current (Ifuse) is applied between the anode and cathode, the metallic elements in the link are electrically migrated away or the link is thermally destroyed, thereby changing the resistance of the e-fuse to a much higher level, commonly referred to as “open” in a circuit. This technique is commonly referred to as programming the e-fuse. Determining whether the fuse has been programmed is conventionally performed using a separate sensing circuit.
Forming reliable e-fuses at low costs is a difficult task. One common issue with forming e-fuses is limited programming yield, which can result in product yield losses or the use of costly error correction code solutions. Additionally, latent programming damage can further reduce product yield, e.g., cause product failures in later stages of the manufacturing process or cause product failure during field service. Even further, e-fuses with high programming current and/or high programming voltages can be costly to integrate into products.